2010 Census and the Changing Demographic of America
The Census
The census has been a long standing government policy in America. The census is used to determine how many representatives a state should have in the House of Representatives. Established in 1789, the Census Office was originally set up as a temporary agency, but due to the rising number of people living in America, the Census Bureau was set up as a permanent agency in 1802. The census asked basic questions about how many people live in the home and how many slaves they had. However, in 1940 the US Census Bureau started to ask questions regarding disabled persons within a household and the financial situation of the family. These questions, called statistical sampling, were used to collect information about the state of the American people. Recently, there has been a debate on the use of statistical sampling and it was decided that the 2010 census would only ask simple questions about the people in the household. Another problem facing the 2010 census was the issue of recently legalized gay marriages. Although most states don't allow for gay partners to become married, some do, and the question of whether or not to count those marriages in the census arose. To make matters worse, gay rights has become a controversial subject in America over the last few years. It was, however, decided that gay marriages would not count as marriages in the 2010 census. This decision has enraged many gay couples, but it is stated that the Census Bureau would keep records of both the original forms (listing gay couples as married) and the changed data.
Changes in the House
The 2010 census has created some major political changes within the House of Representatives. Many traditionally Republican states are gaining one to four seats, where as most traditionally Democratic states are losing seats. The House of Representatives will be greatly leaning in the Republicans' favor. Texas alone is gaining a total of four house seats, while Florida is gaining two and other traditionally Republican states, like Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, Utah and Nevada, all gain one House seat. Many Democratic states are losing House seats. Both Ohio and New York are losing two, where as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Washington, and Louisiana are all losing one House seat. This is due to a reduction in the population of Democratic states and a large population increase in Republican states.
A map of House seat changes.
Redistricting
Congressional redistricting has also had a major political effect in 2010. As many as 11 states have switched from Democrat to Republican governors, while only three have made the switch to a Democratic governor. This gives the Republicans another advantage over Democrats in the coming years. The number of Democratic governors has been reduced from 29 to 17, while the Republican governors have increased to 29, giving them the large majority of governor positions. The loss of House seats will cause some states to have to reallocate their district lines. This will allow Republicans to take out districts that have had Democratic representatives by combining them with other districts.
Multicultural Changes
This spike in minority growth, which lead to the changes in the House, will not necessarily benefit Republicans, because nonwhite ethnicities
Census questions
have tended to vote Democratic in the past. The minority populations are steadily growing and the Caucasian population is slowly declining. The Hispanic population is rapidly increasing; Hispanic people are expected to comprise about 30% of the American population by 2050. These increases in minority populations, and the lack of growth within the Caucasian population, may cause Caucasian Americans to become the minority of the population in 2050 for the first time since America's founding. It is projected that Caucasians will only take up 46% of the American population in 2050. Although immigration rates have decreased, immigrants are coming from Latin America, East Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. William H. Frey, a United States demographer, states, “This is a huge demographic transformation. A cultural generation gap is emerging.”
Changing Ages
Despite all of these changes, the rate of overall growth in population has gone down in America, and at 9.7%, it is the lowest American growth rate in 80 years. Many other demographic changes are also going on in America. The children from the 1946-1964 baby boom are all going to be over 65 by 2030. This means that one in every five American people will be elderly in 2030. By 2050, it is expected that about 19 million people in the United States will be 85 or older. The number of elderly people will have more than tripled since 2008. These changes are expected to cause a large decrease in the availability of working age citizens, with American youth only comprising a small percent of the population.
The Future of America
America is becoming an even more diverse country, with minorities taking up a larger role in politics. American suburbs are changing from the all Caucasian neighborhoods of the past into a diverse and richly ethnic place. America is becoming more of a melting pot than ever before.
Works Consulted "Apportionment of U.S. House of Representatives Based on the 2010 Census." Chart. http://blogs.covingtonreporter.com/newsnotes/. Sound Publishing INC., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2011.
Brown, Evan. "The Census and the Changing U.S. Population." ABC Clio American Government. N.p., 2011. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. <http://americangovernment.abc-clio.com/Feature/Story/ 1474150?cid=1474151&terms=2010+census>.
Tavernise, Sabrina. "In Census, Young Americans Increasingly Diverse." New York Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/ 05/us/05census.html?_r=1&ref=censusbureau>.
"2010 Census: Count Puts U.S. Population at 309 Million." Facts on File World News Digest. Facts on File , 22 Dec. 2010. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. <http://www.2facts.com/ wnd_story.aspx?PIN=2010534710&term=2010+census#d2010534710_2>. "2010 Election: Republicans Take Back Governorships in at Least 11 States." Facts on File World News Digest. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. <http://www.2facts.com/ wnd_story.aspx?PIN=2010531280&term=2010+redrawing+congressional+districts>.
Nina Huenke
2010 Census and the Changing Demographic of America
The Census
The census has been a long standing government policy in America. The census is used to determine how many representatives a state should have in the House of Representatives. Established in 1789, the Census Office was originally set up as a temporary agency, but due to the rising number of people living in America, the Census Bureau was set up as a permanent agency in 1802. The census asked basic questions about how many people live in the home and how many slaves they had. However, in 1940 the US Census Bureau started to ask questions regarding disabled persons within a household and the financial situation of the family. These questions, called statistical sampling, were used to collect information about the state of the American people. Recently, there has been a debate on the use of statistical sampling and it was decided that the 2010 census would only ask simple questions about the people in the household. Another problem facing the 2010 census was the issue of recently legalized gay marriages. Although most states don't allow for gay partners to become married, some do, and the question of whether or not to count those marriages in the census arose. To make matters worse, gay rights has become a controversial subject in America over the last few years. It was, however, decided that gay marriages would not count as marriages in the 2010 census. This decision has enraged many gay couples, but it is stated that the Census Bureau would keep records of both the original forms (listing gay couples as married) and the changed data.Changes in the House
The 2010 census has created some major political changes within the House of Representatives. Many traditionally Republican states are gaining one to four seats, where as most traditionally Democratic states are losing seats. The House of Representatives will be greatly leaning in the Republicans' favor. Texas alone is gaining a total of four house seats, while Florida is gaining two and other traditionally Republican states, like Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, Utah and Nevada, all gain one House seat. Many Democratic states are losing House seats. Both Ohio and New York are losing two, where as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Washington, and Louisiana are all losing one House seat. This is due to a reduction in the population of Democratic states and a large population increase in Republican states.
Redistricting
Congressional redistricting has also had a major political effect in 2010. As many as 11 states have switched from Democrat to RepublicanMulticultural Changes
This spike in minority growth, which lead to the changes in the House, will not necessarily benefit Republicans, because nonwhite ethnicitiesChanging Ages
Despite all of these changes, the rate of overall growth in population has gone down in America, and at 9.7%, it is the lowest American growth rate in 80 years. Many other demographic changes are also going on in America. The children from the 1946-1964 baby boom are all going to be over 65 by 2030. This means that one in every five American people will be elderly in 2030. By 2050, it is expected that about 19 million people in the United States will be 85 or older. The number of elderly people will have more than tripled since 2008. These changes are expected to cause a large decrease in the availability of working age citizens, with American youth only comprising a small percent of the population.The Future of America
America is becoming an even more diverse country, with minorities taking up a larger role in politics. American suburbs are changing from the all Caucasian neighborhoods of the past into a diverse and richly ethnic place. America is becoming more of a melting pot than ever before.
Works Consulted
"Apportionment of U.S. House of Representatives Based on the 2010 Census."
Chart. http://blogs.covingtonreporter.com/newsnotes/. Sound Publishing
INC., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2011.
Brown, Evan. "The Census and the Changing U.S. Population." ABC Clio American
Government. N.p., 2011. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.
<http://americangovernment.abc-clio.com/Feature/Story/
1474150?cid=1474151&terms=2010+census>.
Census Questions. N.d. Population Reference Bureau. Web. 27 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.prb.org/Articles/2009/questionnaire.aspx>.
"Census: 2010 Census Will Not Count Gay Marriages." Facts on File World News
Digest. Facts On File News Services, 2011. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.2facts.com/wnd_story.aspx?PIN=2008465300&term=2010+census>.
Count me in - 2010 Census Song/Commercial - 006. You Tube.
http://www.youtube.com/. Web. 27 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZjxkB3FweM&feature=related>.
Granlund, Dave. "Congressional Districts redrawn." Cartoon. Political Cartoons.
N.p., 2011. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. <http://www.politicalcartoons.com/cartoon/
7605834b-818e-4241-955c-2b79dc59ec5e.html>.
Tavernise, Sabrina. "In Census, Young Americans Increasingly Diverse." New York
Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/
05/us/05census.html?_r=1&ref=censusbureau>.
"2010 Census: Count Puts U.S. Population at 309 Million." Facts on File World
News Digest. Facts on File , 22 Dec. 2010. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.2facts.com/
wnd_story.aspx?PIN=2010534710&term=2010+census#d2010534710_2>.
"2010 Election: Republicans Take Back Governorships in at Least 11 States."
Facts on File World News Digest. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.2facts.com/
wnd_story.aspx?PIN=2010531280&term=2010+redrawing+congressional+districts>.